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Sufi Introduction to the 99 Names of Allah and sufi ... - Deen islam

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Collected by Muhammad Sajad Ali - webmaster – www.deen<strong>islam</strong>.co.uk - 10 th December 2009<br />

YA-‗AFUWU- O Pardoner! Those who <strong>of</strong>ten invoke this Name will have all <strong>the</strong>irsins forgiven. <strong>Allah</strong><br />

will forgive <strong>the</strong> one who recites this name <strong>of</strong> All abundantly Any person who reads this name as<br />

many times as he can God will forgive him for hi sins.<br />

The One who blots out <strong>and</strong> leaves no trace <strong>of</strong> any sin or fault.<br />

The One who passes over <strong>and</strong> absolves any fault.<br />

The One who removes <strong>and</strong> obliterates all traces <strong>of</strong> wrong actions.<br />

The One who can make any sin, error or fault disappear.<br />

From <strong>the</strong> root 'a-f-a which has <strong>the</strong> following classical Arabic connotations:<br />

<strong>to</strong> forgive, pardon<br />

<strong>to</strong> pass over, forgo, absolve<br />

<strong>to</strong> obliterate all traces, efface, remove<br />

<strong>to</strong> kill-<strong>of</strong>f, allow <strong>to</strong> die<br />

<strong>to</strong> turn away from punishing, not see, annul<br />

<strong>to</strong> make unapparent, imperceptible<br />

<strong>to</strong> give spontaneously, <strong>to</strong> give without constraint<br />

<strong>to</strong> give more than what is due<br />

This name is used in <strong>the</strong> Qur'ân. For example, see 4:<strong>99</strong><br />

The words Ghafûr <strong>and</strong> Ghaffâr denote simply forgiving or protecting, while 'Afûw indicates<br />

complete removal or obliteration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> condition.<br />

The classical Arabic dictionary Taj al-Arûs <strong>of</strong>fers a beautiful metaphor wherein 'afûw is said <strong>to</strong> be<br />

like <strong>the</strong> desert wind completely obliterating footprints in <strong>the</strong> s<strong>and</strong>.<br />

Abû Hâmid al-Ghazâlî wrote:<br />

Man's share in this name should be clear: he should be one who excuses everyone who harms him,<br />

doing good for him instead, just <strong>the</strong> same as he sees God most high doing good in this world <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

disobedient as well as <strong>the</strong> disbeliever, ra<strong>the</strong>r than bring <strong>the</strong>m swiftly <strong>to</strong> punishment.<br />

'Afûw <strong>and</strong> Muntaqim are complementary attributes. 'Afûw is <strong>the</strong> forgiver, while Muntaqim is <strong>the</strong><br />

avenger.<br />

(Also written as al-afuw, al-afoo, al-afoow, al-afu, al-afuww, al-affuw, or al-afuwwun, <strong>the</strong> Most<br />

Forgiving: ya afuw, ya afoo, ya afoow, ya afu, ya afuww, ya affuw, or ya afuwwun)<br />

83. ar-ra'ûf- The Most Kind, The Tenderly Merciful, The Clement <strong>and</strong> Compassionate<br />

The Kind. He who is very Compassionate, The One with extreme Mercy. The Mercy <strong>of</strong> <strong>Allah</strong> is His<br />

will <strong>to</strong> endow upon whoever He willed among His creatures.<br />

YA-RAUFU- O Kind One! Great is <strong>the</strong> good fortune <strong>of</strong> those who invoke this Name, One who desires<br />

that <strong>the</strong> entire creation becomes affectionate <strong>to</strong>wards him <strong>and</strong> vice versa should recite this name<br />

repeatedly, Anyone who desires that his anger be subdued, should recite first Salawaat (i.e.<br />

Durood) 10 times. Alternatively, if someone recites it as given above, <strong>and</strong> blows on an angry man,<br />

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